ABI and the Recovery and Insolvency Specialists Association (RISA) are partnering to bring you the 2019 Caribbean Insolvency Symposium in Grand Cayman! Returning once again to this international financial hub, the educational program has been designed to provide attendees with an interactive learning experience focused on insolvency issues in the Caribbean and beyond. A faculty of prominent bankruptcy judges and experienced practitioners will ensure a top-notch learning experience and ample networking opportunities, all in a beautiful setting. Attendees can earn up to 6.25/9.5 hours of CLE/CPE credit.

Conference Address

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This panel will discuss recent chapter15 and cross-border cases, including those involving the scope of discovery available to foreign representatives, § 109 eligibility, venue issues and parallel case concerns. The panel will also discuss logistical and practical solutions in running chapter 15 cases.

Hon. Robert A. Mark, Moderator

U.S. Bankruptcy Court (S.D.Fla.); Miami

Gregory S. Grossman

Sequor Law; Miami

Laura R. Hall

Allen & Overy, LLP; New York, NY

Martin Trott

RHSW Caribbean; Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands

9:30-9:45 a.m.

Refreshment Break

9:45-10:45 a.m.

Contracting Out of Bankruptcy: Domestic and International Considerations

This panel will explore the effectiveness (and, sometimes, lack thereof) of creditor strategies to restrict by contract a borrower’s ability to obtain bankruptcy relief, whether by limiting the ability of a corporate borrower to seek bankruptcy relief without certain stakeholder approvals, limiting the type of available bankruptcy relief, choosing which country’s bankruptcy laws will apply to an insolvency proceeding involving the borrower, bankruptcy-remote structuring techniques, and other means. For example, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit recently upheld a “golden share” arrangement whereby a creditor was able to prohibit the debtor limited liability company from filing bankruptcy; and in the international realm, choice of law clauses have at times limited a debtor’s ability to obtain relief under the Model Law for Cross-Border Insolvency. This panel will also explore variations in international public policies with respect to restrictions on a borrower’s ability to seek bankruptcy relief.

Zachary H. Smith, Moderator

Moore & Van Allen PLLC; Charlotte

Ingrid Bagby

Cadwalader Wickersham & Taft, LLP; New York

Jeffrey Bast

Bast Amron; Miami

Rebecca Hume

Kobre & Kim LLP; Grand Cayman, Cayman Island

Paul J. Keenan, Jr.

Greenberg Traurig, P.A.; Miami

Brian J. Lohan

Arnold & Porter; Chicago

10:45-11:45 a.m.

Blockchain, Bitcoin and Beyond: Getting Current on Digital Currency

This panel will discuss blockchain and cryptocurrency, focusing on the basic terminology and how various agencies of the U.S. government treat cryptocurrency, in particular the Internal Revenue Service, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, and the Securities and Exchange Commission. The panel will then examine how security interests in cryptocurrency are perfected under Article 9, and whether transfers of cryptocurrency can be avoided pursuant to 11 U.S.C. § 548 or clawed back as preferences pursuant to 11 U.S.C. § 547, as well as whether interests in cryptocurrency can be claimed exempt under 11 U.S.C. § 522, with a focus on Florida. The panel will also discuss issues concerning whether initial cryptocurrency coin offerings are dischargeable under 11 U.S.C. § 522, how digital currency is changing the way business is conducted, which industries have been early adopters of digital currency, and whether digital currency is here to stay. Finally, the panel will discuss the Cayman perspective on digital currency, as well as current developments and trends.

Wednesday, January 9

7:30-8:00 a.m.

Continental Breakfast

8:00-9:15 a.m.

Concurrent Sessions (2)

US Track: ADR in Cross-Border Insolvency Cases

This panel will discuss the role that alternative dispute resolution (ADR) can and does play in bankruptcy, starting with the tension between bankruptcy and ADR, as all ADR processes conflict with bankruptcy’s goal of centralizing estate administration into a single proceeding. In the U.S., this tension is most prevalent when a creditor seeks to enforce a pre-petition arbitration agreement. The panel will next examine the role that mediation plays in U.S. bankruptcy cases by examining the types of issues and disputes that are amenable to resolution via mediation. Finally, the panel will explore the power and potential of ADR in the cross-border arena, looking at models for how cross-border insolvency issues have been handled procedurally and identifying types of disputes that are well-suited to resolution via ADR.

Recent developments in offshore law have increased the effectiveness of the tools available to trace and recover assets through the offshore insolvency process. This panel will be conducted in a formal debate style, using the format of first proposition followed by first opposition, then second proposition followed by second opposition. The debates will look at the illegality defense, clawback claims, the dishonesty test and foreign officeholder recognition, among other issues. Each debate will be seven minutes with a four-minute closing, followed by a vote.

Laura Hatfield, Moderator

Solomon Harris; Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands

Shelley White

Walkers Global; Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands

Hugh Dickson

Grant Thornton LLP; Grand Cayman

Scott M. Berman

Friedman Kaplan Seiler & Adelman LLP; New York

Nava Hazan

Squire Patton Boggs; New York

9:15-10:30 a.m.

Concurrent Sessions (2)

US Track: Issues Facing Community and Critical-Access Hospitals: What Is the Answer, and When Is It Too Good to Be True?

What are critical-access hospitals, and why are they important? This panel will discuss alternative solutions to producing additional cash flow for failing hospitals, which need to be closely scrutinized by health care professionals familiar with licensing, reimbursement, anti-kickbacks and patient-brokering limitations. The panel will also cover violations of the False Claims Act, Stark Law and Anti-Kickback Statute, as well as state law cases on patient-brokering and the questioning of medical necessity, clinical laboratory outreach programs, physician employment arrangements involving telemedicine, prescription programs and compounding, criminal statutes and DOJ/state regulator issues, how to reorganize legally, dealing with CMS (Medicare/Medicaid), nongovernmental and third-party commercial payers during a restructuring, and general rules on pass-through billing for outreach programs.

This panel will explore the roles, responsibilities, benefits and liabilities in using independent directors through multi-jurisdictional insolvency proceedings and will discuss using directors strategically throughout the life of a company. The panelists will explain the three typical stages of a company where directors could be instructed — going concern, insolvency and emergence from a restructuring — then explain the roles and responsibilities at each of these appointments. The session would also overlay the jurisdictional distinctions among various administrative proceedings, including offshore liquidations, U.S. bankruptcy, U.S. receiverships and common law receiverships. The panelists will offer real world examples to show the differences and how the role of the director is utilized, as well as what is at stake for them, the company, the creditors and the investors.

Katherine R. Catanese, Moderator

Foley & Lardner; New York

Joel E. Cohen

Stout Risius Ross, LLC; New York

Casey McDonald

Calderwood, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands

Michael Pearson

FFP (Cayman) Limited, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands

Rachael Reynolds

Ogier; Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands

10:30-10:45 a.m.

Refreshment Break

10:45 a.m.-12:00 noon

Concurrent Sessions (2)

US Track: Professional Disclosures in Bankruptcy Cases: The Ethics Face-Off of the Century (Jay Alix v. McKinsey & Co., Inc.)

The duty of complete and candid disclosures by professionals seeking employment in bankruptcy cases goes to the heart of the integrity of the bankruptcy system. After presenting an overview of the disclosure requirements of bankruptcy professionals practicing in the BVI, Cayman Islands and the U.S., two panelists will argue the merits of the key positions being asserted in Jay Alix v. McKinsey & Co., Inc., the high-stakes, disclosure-related lawsuit currently pending in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York. One hour of Ethics CLE will be provided to attendees.

Christopher A. Jarvinen, Moderator

Richards Kibbe & Orbe, LLP.; New York

Mariaelena Gayo-Guitian

Genovese, Joblove & Battista P.A.; Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.

James C. Tecce

Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan, LLP; New York

Peter Tyers-Smith

Kobre & Kim LLP; BVI and Grand Cayman

Caribbean Track: Recent Opinions and Orders Under PROMESA and Their Impact on Puerto Rico’s Future

This panel will examine the effects thus far of the Puerto Rico Oversight, Management, and Economic Stability Act (PROMESA), as well as Puerto Rico’s economy, including where it came from, where it is now and where it is going.

Hon. Enrique S. Lamoutte, Moderator

U.S. Bankruptcy Court (D.P.R.); San Juan

Hon. Brian K. Tester, Moderator

U.S. Bankruptcy Court (D.P.R.) San Juan

Sonia Colón

Ferraiuoli, LLC; Orlando, Fla. and San Juan

Cate Long

Puerto Rico Clearing House, New York

Luisa S. Valle-Castro

C. Conde & Associates; San Juan

Noel Zamot

Infrastructure Revitalization Coordinator for Puerto Rico; San Juan

12:00 noon

Ajourn

Symposium Information

Hotel

Fronting the famous Seven Mile Beach, the Westin Casuarina Resort & Spa is in the heart of Grand Cayman, with easy access to Grand Cayman’s best attractions, including scuba-diving, shopping and golf. ABI has arranged for a special conference rate of $399 single/double. To secure this special rate, reservations must be made by December 10, 2018. The ABI special rate is very limited and is available on a first-come, first-served basis. ABI cannot guarantee availability at the resort. You can make your reservation directly with the hotel by contacting its reservations department at (345) 945-3800 and identifying yourself with the Caribbean Insolvency Symposium/ABI room block.

Travel

The Westin Casuarina Resort & Spa is conveniently located only 10 minutes from Grand Cayman’s Owen Roberts International Airport, which is a short flight from Miami International Airport. U.S. travelers will be required to have a current passport to travel to the island.

Continuing Education Credit

6.25 hours of CLE credit, including 1.25 hours of ethics, are pending in states calculating CLE on a 60-minute hour, and 9.5 hours of CLE credit, including of ethics, are pending in 50-minute-hour states. Credit hours granted are subject to each state's CLE credit approval regulations and may not be approved prior to the program. NY MCLE: This transitional and non-transitional program has been approved in accordance with the requirements of the CLE Board for a maximum of 9.5 credit hours, of which 1.5 hours of credit can be applied toward the ethics professionalism requirement. California MCLE: ABI certifies that this activity has been approved for MCLE credit in the amount of 6.25 hours, of which 1.25hours will apply to ethics. 9.5 hours of CPE credit, including 1.5 hours of ethics, are also available.

* ABI offers intermediate-level courses, which assume that attendees will have at least some detailed knowledge of insolvency matters (pursuant to the “Statement on Standards for CPE Programs” established by AICPA and NASBA). ABI is registered with the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) as a sponsor of continuing professional education on the National Registry of CPE sponsors. State boards of accountancy have the final authority on the acceptance of individual courses for CPE credit. Complaints regarding registered sponsors may be submitted to the National Registry of CPE Sponsors through its website, www.nasbaregistry.org. For more information regarding administrative policies such as complaints and refunds, please contact the American Bankruptcy Institute at (703) 739-0800.

ABI acknowledges that in some instances there will be persons who need to attend an educational seminar for CLE credit who are not able to pay full registration fees. ABI will handle such instances on a case-by-case basis and will work with the individual on alternative solutions. For persons who cannot meet the full registration rate, ABI will offer a reduced rate based on what the individual can reasonably afford to cover the cost of meals and materials. For persons unable to pay a reduced rate, we may allow the individual to work at our registration area for a few hours during attendee check-in, or assist in conference set-up. ABI also has reduced rates for government employees, professors, law clerks and students. Illinois Attorneys: If registration fees are more than $500, attorneys who qualify will receive a reduction of at least 50% off the registration fee. For information on tuition assistance, send an e-mail to jguirguis@abiworld.org.

Cancellation Policy

All fees, except a $75 handling fee, will be refunded if notice of cancellation is received in writing by December 17, 2018. No refunds will be made if notice is received after December 17, although substitutions will be allowed. After December 17, upon written request, a coupon for 20% off the registration fee (not including optional events) will be issued, which can be used (by the cancelling registrant only) for any ABI educational program up to one year after this conference, or for this same conference next year.

Rates

Registration Rates*

Early Bird(by 10/19/18)

Regular(10/20/18-12/7/18)

Late (after 12/7/18)

ABI Member

$420

$470

$520

Join ABI and Save*

$715

$765

$815

ABI Non-Member Rate

$795

$845

$895

Govt./Aca. ABI Member

$270

$320

$370

Govt./Aca. ABI Non-Member*

$365

$415

$465

*Includes a one-year membership for first-time members only — a $325 value! You must be an ABI member to attend. Membership is individual and nonrefundable. If your membership has expired, choose the member rate and add in your renewal fee.